StarCraft 2 Beta Opt-in Program Is Starting, Release Date Looming

May 8th, 2009

UPDATE: Mike Morhaime stated today in an Activision Blizzard conference call that the beta will start this summer!

It looks like the wheels are in motion at Blizzard’s HQ for the StarCraft 2 beta. Now, when you log into your Battle.net account, you can download a client that takes a snapshot of your system specifications and sends it back to Blizzard. Evidently, Blizzard wants to ensure that the widest range of machines and hardware combinations are capable of handling StarCraft 2.

Download the client, and do whatever Blizzard tells you to – the beta is looming.

Question: Hum, is that even possible ? Can you please confirm that we can use our WWI key?
Xordiah: Correct, if you have not previously used the key for the Wrath of the Lich King beta, you can opt in now under http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/misc/beta-signup.html to participate in the StarCraft II beta. This is only possible for not yet claimed keys.
If you still have problems with the opt-in application, please describe your problem in the tech support forums:

http://forums.battle.net/board.html?forumId=12014&sid=3000

Question: The system checker doesn’t scan all my hard disks. it only scans my system partition (15GB), but my other partition (130GB) and other hard disk (320GB) are ignored. I hope hard disk capacity doesn’t lower people’s chances of participating…
Xordiah: Don’t worry about this, there will be a lot of people in the same situation. I’ll make sure that the development team is aware of this (though I am quite sure they know already).

Question: What if a person opt’s in with multiple accounts with multiple emails?
Karune: We will be filtering attempts to spam accounts, which may also hurt your chances of getting into beta. We want to make this process the most fair for everyone interested in beta.

Question: Is it possible to use the WotLK beta keys for a StarCraft 2 key, does that mean we can save our Blizzcon 2008 keys to get a Diablo 3 beta key some following beta period?
Karune: The WWI keys were not originally intended to be used with StarCraft II. After further consideration, we wanted to add it as a bonus to the beta pool, so give those who have not used their keys a second chance to partake in the beta process. The BlizzCon 2008 keys will only work with StarCraft II beta, so please use it now, or else they will be useless after.

Question: If u have won a beta key in Blizzard’s contests like Vespene laughs, will u get ur cd-key via mail without all this process u described before?
Karune: Contest winners will be getting their keys via email. While they may not necessarily be participating in the first batch of beta testers, they will have access in their region’s beta at an early phase.

Question: Those who entered Blizzcon keys back in late march-april are still good right?
Karune: Yup, though don’t forget you will still need a Battle.net account to be able to download the beta build when you are contacted. If you want to be considered for future Blizzard betas too, it would be good to still run the systems check as well.

Sources: 1UP, s0rethumbs, and StarFeeder